Taco Casserole with Fritos is a cheesy, saucy Frito taco bake: seasoned ground beef simmered with salsa, enchilada sauce and beans, baked over a layer of corn chips and melted cheese and finished with a crunchy Fritos topping. It is a fun, family-friendly weeknight dinner that is ready in 45 minutes and feeds eight.
How to make taco casserole with Fritos: Brown and drain ground beef, season it with taco seasoning and dried onion, and simmer it with enchilada sauce, beans and salsa. Layer half the Fritos and cheese in a 13×9-inch dish, add the beef and the rest of the cheese, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Top with the remaining Fritos and bake 10 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Crunchy and cheesy: soft chips under the sauce, crisp chips on top.
- Fifteen minutes of prep: one skillet and one baking dish.
- Build-your-own toppings: everyone finishes their own plate like a taco bar.
- Feeds 8: a full 13×9-inch pan.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One to one and a half pounds. Drain it well after browning so the casserole is saucy, not greasy.
Taco seasoning and dried onion: Two tablespoons each. Dried minced onion softens right in the sauce, so there is nothing to chop.
Enchilada sauce and salsa: A 10-ounce can of enchilada sauce and a 16-ounce jar of salsa make the sauce. Pick your favorite heat level of salsa; it sets the spice level of the whole dish.
Taco-style beans: One 15.1-ounce can of beans in a taco-seasoned sauce, rinsed and drained.
Fritos corn chips: One 9.25-ounce bag, divided between the bottom layer and the topping.
Cheese: Eight ounces of shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar blend, half on the bottom chips and half over the beef.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
- 1 can (15.1 ounces) taco-style beans, such as taco fiesta beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
- 9.25 ounces Fritos corn chips (1 bag), divided
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend, divided
How to Make Taco Casserole with Fritos
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook the ground beef until no longer pink (160°F). Drain off the excess grease.
3. Season. Season the beef with the dried minced onion and taco seasoning.
4. Simmer. Stir in the enchilada sauce, beans and salsa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.
5. Layer. Spread half of the corn chips in an even layer in a 13×9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Spoon the meat mixture carefully over the top so the bottom layers stay in place, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
6. Bake. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Scatter the remaining corn chips over the top and bake 10 minutes more. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.
Two Layers of Fritos
This casserole uses the chips two ways. The bottom layer of Fritos and cheese bakes under the saucy beef, and it turns soft and cheesy, a little like the tortillas in an enchilada casserole.
The second half of the bag goes on top only for the last 10 minutes. By then the filling is hot and bubbling, and the chips on top only need to warm through.
When you add the beef, spoon it on in dollops and spread it gently rather than pouring it all in one place. That keeps the chip and cheese layer underneath evenly spread. I use a big serving spoon and work from the edges toward the middle.
Tips for Success
Why does my casserole fall apart when I serve it?
It needs a few minutes to settle. Let it sit about 5 minutes out of the oven, then cut down through the layers with a sturdy spatula and lift straight up.
Why is it greasy?
The beef fat went into the sauce. Tilt the skillet and spoon or pour off the grease after browning, before the seasoning and sauces go in.
Variations
- Chips stirred in: stir the Fritos straight into the meat mixture, add corn and black olives, top with cheese and bake 25 minutes.
- Refried bean base: spread warmed refried beans in the dish first, then add the Fritos, meat, salsa, sour cream and cheese.
- Corn and tomatoes: stir a cup of corn and a can of diced tomatoes into the beef instead of the beans.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave to 165°F, and scatter a fresh handful of chips over leftovers.
What to Serve With It
Set out shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, sliced jalapenos, olives, pico de gallo and cilantro, and let everyone top their own serving. For more taco night ideas, try Frito pie, walking taco casserole, taco casserole with tortillas or layered taco bake. For something to sip, there is quick and easy taco soup, and for a pasta twist, one pot taco spaghetti.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a taco casserole using Fritos chips?
Yes. Fritos work both as a soft bottom layer under the saucy beef and as a crunchy topping added for the last 10 minutes.
What are the ingredients for a 5-ingredient taco casserole?
Ground beef, taco seasoning, a bag of Fritos, queso dip and shredded cheese. Brown the beef with the seasoning and a little water, spread it over the pressed Fritos in a 9×13 dish, top with queso and cheese, and bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
What’s the easiest taco casserole recipe?
That 5-ingredient walking taco version is the quickest. This one takes a few more minutes but adds salsa, enchilada sauce and beans for a saucier, heartier casserole.
Final Notes
Have the toppings chopped and on the table before the casserole comes out of the oven. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Taco Casserole with Fritos
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 can enchilada sauce 10 ounces
- 1 can taco-style beans 15.1 ounces, such as taco fiesta beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 jar salsa 16 ounces
- 9.25 ounces Fritos corn chips 1 bag, divided
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook the ground beef until no longer pink (160°F). Drain off the excess grease.
- Season the beef with the dried minced onion and taco seasoning.
- Stir in the enchilada sauce, beans and salsa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.
- Spread half of the corn chips in an even layer in a 13x9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Spoon the meat mixture carefully over the top so the bottom layers stay in place, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Scatter the remaining corn chips over the top and bake 10 minutes more. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.
